It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved father, Horace Leighton Clark on Thursday, March 25, 2021 at the Upper River Valley Hospital.  Dad was born January 10, 1938 in Simonds, NB, on the family homestead in the north facing window.  The third child of 7 to Harley & Winnifred Clark.

Growing up in a large Christian family back in the day, work was what you did (except on Sunday!), and his parents instilled so many of the values and traits that he has passed on to his own family.   When dad was in grade 11, he suffered an accident where a tractor rolled on him and was told he would never walk again and was forced to leave school.  However, dad proved all of the doctors wrong and he DID walk again.  Actually, over his lifetime, he would go on to break his back again years later but could still outwork almost anyone he met!

In one of his visits to the hospital, he met Sharon Corey, who would become the love of his life when she was his nurse.  Many people laughed that he always said his favourite colour was pink, but mom was wearing a pink uniform when he first met her, and he thought she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.  They married on May 8, 1959 and would go on to have 5 children.  Dad was a gentle giant with a quiet humbleness, an amazing sense of humour, and his family was everything to him.

Dad worked hard his entire life to provide for his family.  As a young man, he worked for General Dairies delivering ice cream until he got a job with the Woodstock Fire Dept driving the fire truck.  Many of our memories of him as children were from spending time at the fire hall – I think we all learned how to play pool from being there.  To earn extra money, he worked many weekends doing short runs for Day & Ross and Highland Transport as well.   Driving and all things trucking were so important to him.  He loved going to truck stops and pointing out trucks in general to the grandchildren.  Every trip we ever took as a family, dad would seek out the local fire department and stop in to see "the boys".  It was a brotherhood to him.   He was also a lifelong member of the IOOF (Independent Order of Odd Fellows) and looked so forward to the meetings and the bean & salad suppers.  In his retirement, he enjoyed doing the odd run driving team with Chris in his transport, doing errands and odd jobs for Peter at the campground as well.

As kids, we could not have asked for a better father and role-model.   Dad worked very hard to make sure that we always were able to take family camping trips.   Many an adventure was taken in the old "Clark Family Van" towing the PMC camper trailer.  Between the trips across Canada to visit his brother and family in Vancouver, to camping our way to Florida and pretty much everywhere in between, so many of our childhood memories stemmed from those family camping trips.  I remember thinking that my dad knew absolutely everyone from here to Vancouver as he waved at every vehicle he passed.  Now I know, he didn't actually know everyone, he just loved people and always tried to teach us to be friendly and say "hi" to make someone's day.   He passed on his love of camping and family time to his kids, and we all carry on those traditions still today.

Dad always had a special place in his heart for children.  Every place that he ever went, if he spied a child, he would always make a special point of talking to them or waving.  All the while growing up, our house was the community hang-out place.  A safe haven where a kid was never turned away and welcomed as their own.  So many memories were made on those hundreds of drives going back and forth to gymnastics over the years.   All the kids just called him Grampy and thought so much of him.

Leighton is survived by his 5 children, Peter (Janet), Geoffrey (Beth), John (Evelyn), Chris (Sherry) & Lori Thebeau (Wesley).   9 Grand Children:  Matthew (Alie), Nathan, Noah, Melanie, Rebecca (Adam), Isaac, Grace, Lyvia and Lacey (Marcus). 3 Great-Grandchildren, Theo, Layla & Audrey.  His siblings, Betty Hunter (Harry) Connell, NB, Creighton (Diane) Conway, NH, Carol Green and Janice Cameron (John) of Saint John, Joan Peddle (Brian) Moncton, and Sister-in-law Doreen Clark, Surrey BC.   As well as countless nieces, nephews and cousins.    Pre-deceased by his wife of 49 years Sharon, special friend Plumie Armstrong, brother Austin Clark and his parents, Harley & Winnie Clark.

Resting at The Carleton Funeral Home in Jacksonville, Visitation will be Saturday evening 7-9 and Funeral at St. James United Church in Woodstock on Sunday at 3:00 PM.   If someone wishes to do a donation in memory of our dad, please consider one of these as they were very near and dear to his heart:   Woodstock Fire Dept, Woodstock IOOF or St. James United Church or the Diabetic Society.  For those who are unable to attend the funeral, the church will be providing a live-stream from the St. James United Church Facebook page, as well as YouTube.

"A limb has fallen from the family tree.  I keep hearing a voice that says "grieve not for me".  Remember the good times, the laughter, the song.  The Good life I lived while I was strong.  Continue my heritage, I'm counting on you.  Keep smiling and the sun will surely shine through.  My mind is at ease, my soul is at rest, remembering all how truly I was blessed.  Continue our traditions, no matter how small.  Go on with your life, don't worry about falls.   I will miss you all dearly, so keep up your chin until that day comes when we are all together again".     We love you Dad.

Due to COVID 19 social distancing and masks are required, inside and outside at the funeral home.